A key concern regarding semiconductor devices and semiconductor development tools is the risk that malicious functions could be inserted into the semiconductor device. The threat of insertion of malicious functionality into semiconductor devices impacts many areas including military, government, and financial sectors. This threat is of particular concern when non-U.S. based semiconductor fabrication facilities and semiconductor development tools are used.
The ability to monitor a semiconductor device for malicious functionality so as to validate or authenticate the semiconductor device would be desirable.